Article container



July28, 1942. l H KIN 2,290,969

ARTICLE CONTAINER Filed March 20, 1940 W/d w 67 3&1.

Patented July 28, .1942

U N 1 TE D STATES PATENT FF 1 QE ARTICLE CONTAINER Herman-C. King, Sweetser, Ind.

Application March 20, 1940, Serial No. 325,074

1 Claim.

This invention relates to article containers, and more particularly to containers for cans, jars or similar articles.

In the distribution of liquids, comminuted materials, foods and the like substances through consumer channels, it is well known to package them in cans of cylindrical form. Such packages are ordinarily stored on open shelves and selections made therefrom by the consumer, after which the articles selected may be placed in conventional paper sacks or bags fordelivery or carrying by the customer. While the conventional paper bags are generally satisfactory for the transportation of cans and jars, they were designed primarily for packaging of bulk material and hence do not lend themselves smartly to the convenient carrying of rigid packages such as cans or jars. Not only does the ordinary method of storage involve the placing of the cans in the bags with the edges extending and likely to tear the bag,

but in addition, the load is not evenly distributed therein and the movement incident to transportation frequently involves a shifting of the articles or dislocation and damages to the bag.

Another feature heretofore characterizing the retail distribution of articles such as cannedlgoods is the circumstance that the attractiveness of the label is concealed when placed in the conventional paper bag and hence all benefit resulting from the advertising on the label-is lost.

A characteristic of retail distribution recently of importance is the tendency to purchase canned articles in greater number than heretofore. To illustrate, Where several years ago a usual purchase was, for instance, two cans of beans, it is currently frequently the custom to purchase a half dozen or more cans. While this tendency may be traceable to the growth in area of the community and the size and comprehensive character of the retail place of business as well as the contemporary custom of doing household marketing by automobile, it is observable that visits to market result individually in purchases in larger volume of commodities. This trend has been acknowledged and perhaps accelerated by the corresponding custom on the part of up-todate retail dealers to price such commodities on the basis of sale of greater volume. For instance, where in years past a retailer priced goods at, for example, three cans of tomatoes for $0.25, it is more frequently the present custom to sell on the basis of six cans for $0.48. This development of sale in larger volumes has created problems of packaging and transportation not satisfactorily accommodated by the conventional paper bag, and requirement for a'special type of container is marked.

The present invention contemplates, therefore, the provision for, or of, a simple and inexpensive container designed primarily for the convenient transportation of canned goods. Primarily, the

container consists of two open end slings, each formed by the joining together by wire staples of flexible material such as paper, corrugated board, solid fibre board, or cardboard, one of which holds the ends of articles in alignment and the other of which holds the sides of the articles together sufiiciently firm that no. article will lose out of the container yet loose or slack enough that the headspace or headroom between the top row of cans and said sling when tightly drawn upwards is sufiicient for a person to place his hand around such portion of the sling and use it as a handle or strap in-carrying the filled container, the said carrying or handle side being specially cut in a tapering, fashion from the ends of the sides to the center of the side so the width at such point and on each side thereof is such that it may be firmly and conveniently grasped in a persons hand. The slings are held together sufficiently firm in ordinary handling by friction and in the case of rough handling by a wedging fastener formed from a portion of one of the slings and inserted into apertures of the other.

For transfer between canner, wholesaler and retailer, the common practice is to pack cans in boxes or cases made of solid or corrugated fibre board, such boxes containing a much larger quantity than is usually purchased at retail. The invention is used by retailers to repackage these cans in retail lots of such number of cans of one or several varieties .or kinds of canned goods as are commonly purchased at retail in identical or substantially identical can sizes. In another form or use of the invention, repackaging by the retailer is eliminated in the case of these individual varieties or kinds or items of canned foods or liquids ordinarily purchased in multiple units, such as dog food, tomato juice, beer and other similar items, when the manufacturer first or originally packages an appropriate number or amount for retail sale of such items in the container herein described, such as six cans of dog food, and then places them, four such containers, in the conventional standard size packing or shipping case holding twenty-four cans. When such method of packaging is used by the manufacturer,

the retailer merely opens the standard shipping case, takes out the four filled containers herein described, discardsthe shipping case as is now the practice, and takes out the four filled containers, putting them immediately on the proper counter or rack for display and sale direct to retail customers.

The invention will be more clearly understood by referring to the following detailed description, read in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation View of the container;

Figure 2 is an end elevation View thereof;

Figure 3 is the top elevation View thereof;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section of an end portion of the closure and lifting element showing the notchings made to form wedging portions which are inserted into apertures in the body element to fasten or hold, other than by frictions solely, the two elements of the container together;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section of an end portion of the body element showing the apertures or slits made to receive the wedging portions of the closure and lifting element to fasten or hold, other than by friction solely, the two elements of the containers together;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section in perspective showing the method of joining or assembling the bottom and combination handle and top portion or closure and lifting element;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary section in perspective showing the method of joining or assembling the side and end portion or body element;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the sides and ends of the container in stock condition;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the bottom and combination top and handle of the container in stock condition.

Referring to the drawings wherein similar parts are indicated by identical reference numerals, the container includes a body element or side and end portion composed of a rectangular strip of material connected in a lap joint 23, as seen in Figures 3, 7 and 8, by staples 24, as seen in Figures 3, '7 and 8. It is composed of corrugated or solid fibre board of the kind and weight and strength commonly used for packaging boxes or cases for shipping canned vegetables or fruits and similar items in twenty-four can lots. However, any suitable flexible nonelastic material, such as cardboard, cloth or paper of suitable weight may be employed in lieu of said corrugated or solid fibre board material without departing from the invention. The body portion is scored or creased at four parallel points 3|, 32, 33, and 34, as shown in Figure 8. The construction of the body lends itself to production of a blank for convenient stock storage, which will be of simple rectangular shape, comprising two layers lying flat in superposed relationship (Figure 8). Upon requirement it is only necessary manually to separate the layers by pushing simultaneously at points 3| and 34 to efi'ect bending at 32 and ,33 to such extent that the body portion becomes rectangular and to insert then the proper number of cans or other articles 40.

The container includes a closure and lifting element or bottom and combination top and handle portion 50 composed of a rectangular strip of material connected in a lap joint 53 by staples 54 (Figures 1 and 6). It is composed of material identical to that described above as preferable or usable in the construction of body portion 29. The closure element is scored or creased between opposite points at two parallel places 6| and 64 which permits construction for convenient storage as shown in Figure 9. The handle construction 5] (Figures 1, 3, and 9), is

formed from the top of the closure element, it

being reduced gradually by cutting away the top portion to form or constitute a simple lifting element easily held in the hand for manual transportation of the container and its contents.

When the cans or other articles have been inserted in body portion 20 as described heretofore the closure element is then pushed over body portion 20 (Figure l) and around all the cans or other articles 40 protruding therefrom and to the center so that the ends are equal distance from the ends of the cans. This brings and holds the cans together in a bond of such firmness that the cans cannot in ordinary handling be removed from the container without manually moving the closure element to one side or removing it. Owing to the width of the closure element at the sides and bottom, the closure element in ordinary handling of the container and its contents will not slip, although loose enough at the top for handle purposes, when the filled container is laid on its side or picked up from such position by use of the handle. In the event the container and its contents are to receive or may receive extraordinary rough handling, the possibility of the closure element slipping to one side through such treatment is eliminated by in-' serting the wedge or flap portion 55 (Figure 4) formed by cut-outs or notches 51 as shown in Figure 4 into aperture 25 (Figure 5) and then bending wedge or fiap portion 56 (Figure 4) inwardly and downwardly to such extent that it may be inserted into aperture 26 (Figure 5), and then doing likewise with corresponding parts on the opposite end of the container. This secures the closure element to the body element and eliminates any slipping or dislocation of cans in carrying, setting down or picking up from any position. When it is desired to open the container, the flaps or wedge portions are drawn out by pulling on the closure element either just above or below, or simultaneously at both points, the flap ends until they pull out and then slipping the closure element off one f the sides.

Containers of the character described above are preferably constructed in various sizes depending upon the number of articles and the size of the articles to be carried. For example, the embodiment disclosed in Figure 1 is designed to carry six cans 40 or other rigid cylindrical articles, such as jars. It will, of course, be understood that the container is'susceptible of use without the capacity load; however, its advantages are more fully realized when carrying a capacity load.

I claim:

A container for packaging a plurality of cylindrical articles in adjacent parallel relationship in two parallel rows comprising a continuous band adapted to extend around the cylindrical articles longitudinally of said rows, said band being of such width as to engage a portion only of each end of each article in each row to prevent relative displacement of the articles along their own axes, a second continuous band adapted to extend around the articles longitudinally of said rows in a direction transverse to that of said first mentioned band to prevent disalignment of the articles from the parallel rows, said second band overlying said first mentioned band, and having tongue portions in interlocking engagement through slits in said first mentioned band at the ends of the container, and having a portion of its length intermediate the ends of the container of such length and width as to provide slack and resultant clearance from the adjacent row of articles to thereby form a bail-like handle for the container and to present a minimum of obstruction to view of the articles.

HERMAN C. KING. 

